Thanks for any advice on what to do about how the salary conversation went down, the W2, and the barrage of personal questions (he calls it informational data) I’ll probably get the next time I talk to him.

The last recruiter I spoke with wanted to know my salary history up until my very first job – she even ask me to give her my w2 amounts since there were bonus and awards involved.

I completely agree that its private information but I also think I would want this information if I was in their shoes.

What is the ethical standard for dealing with the salary disclosure dilemma?

Thanks!

Usually, the company posting the position announcement has a range of pay in mind based on positional history and/or budget and cost of living in that location. That range should be posted for potential applicants to see right off. More than likely the company has a reasonable idea of what the job is worth and what it may take to bring onboard (or entice for relocating) a quality applicant. It also adds credibility to the employer, in my mind. When postings ask for an applicant’s salary history, I immediately become suspicious. Are they fishing for salary history because they are clueless and/or do not know they can research such information on their own? Is this a reputable and ethical company I want to be affiliated with? Are they so parochial that they do not know their local postings are all over the Internet? If they are so fly-by-night, rude, or presumptuous as to delve into personal information, I wonder just much of my after-work personal time they will feel obliged to monitor? We have become exceedingly lax in this country with sharing our personal information and I applaud those who side-stepped the question tactfully yet forcefully. It is good to set personal boundaries from the start of any relationship. Apparently, now we must do so before the working relationship even begins.

RE to bold or not to bold: It’s your blog. Bold away if you like. And thanks for the blog site.
Leonardo

Please, if you must use confine it to something truly outstanding, a conclusion or
a principle worth remembering.

A colleague and I used to kid about people who read with a highlighter in one hand and highlight nearly every sentence. In that case nothing is more important than the rest, they might as well dip the entire book in a bucket of yellow ink.

Thanks for the good articles and advice,

Gustavo

Yes i too have just been through a ring of this nonsense which i refused to be part of. There were many companies like this today.

The last time i went for an interview and took a job. Out of 5 interviews there was only 1 company that asked and i gave them an unopen pay slip which i normally didnt need to as i used my bank as an indicator if i was paid and not the slips. As in the earlier stages when i used to open them the multiple deductions and human errors just frastrated me till i decided lets just keep working till i needed more. What ever the more happened to be.

This time round 10 years later almost everyone asked but only the HR. The hiring managers just couldnt be bothered. Especially since i said pay me what this job is worth if i fit your requirements with the relevant skills.

But the HR people were adamant and i did not wish to back down as i felt that something was not right. My take on it was either they did not know how much they were willing to pay for the role. That told me the organisation wasnt one i wanted to work for. Or they were just being ready to shaft me as i am not one to bargain. I will accept what a reasonable offer and not discuss money. Reason? I just work for fair salary. But more so i work cos i like the job. If it starts to bore me or lose a challenge i just move on. And i have done so in the same companies and done very well in many roles contributing to the organisation and receiving awards and rewards that i did not start out to achieve. It was done as a surprise and i truly felt valued. That i did a job cos i thought it had to be done and did it in a manner that i thought was best to bring the company the best results.

As such i chose to start my own business providing Serviced offices (with Virtual office offerings too).

Has this become the norm? Pity those whom do not know any better or have no choice to have a stand.

Regards

Keith

Btw great articles and discussions.

Second, do you disclose past or current pay history to career coaches or headhunters?

Thx, DWW

the place where it gets nasty is learning my bill rate. it’s the actual figure i cost my client, but learning that figure can be hard. one guy would not tell me even though i brought him into the role as agent, not the other way around. instead he sought to collude with the hiring manager against my interests. my cost is my business, so he’s fired now.

think of bold has costing a nickel.